Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-02-05
A Remarkable Man.

A Remarkable Man.
More than thirty years ago Rev.
I.conidas RosSer, then i'll charge Of
ne Methodist Church at Lynch
burg, was leading revival at Fin
castle, which awakened deep in.
,erest in the people of that town
and for miles around. For several
weeks this eloquent preacher had
preached night and day, until ma
ture gave away and could nolonscr
bean the strain put upon it.
One beautiful Sabbath morning
when the old Methodist Church at
Fincastlc was crowded toits utmost
with pcnltcnts and their friends.
and the yal, surrounding. the old
church filed with interesting PEG.
pie: tie windows darkcned with eX
pcctants, and after the opening
hymn had been sung, Il chapter
read and prayer delivered, MIR.
Rosscr informed the immense con
gregaton that owing to his cntee-
blcd condition he had invited his
colleague to fill the pulpit for Il few
days and until he could recover his
strength. A universal murmur OF
diSapprobation escaped from the
mouths and hearts of the congre
cation, to whom Mr.. Rosser had
become greatly cndeared. Several
hundred converts were arranged on
the front seats, they too murmured
dissatisfaction, but the situation
could not be changed.
A y0ung man with long flowing
Llacl; hair arose in the pulpit and
approached the altarinan awkward
Il amer; his face was pale with ex-
element, his voice sepnlcllriil as he
teok his text. He fully appreciated
tic situation, but WAS inspired by
lis Gclicacy. AT the conclusion OF
ar hours sermon the immense an-
diencc rose as one man, crowded
around the altar,and warmly grasp
,us the hand Of the young and clio
qrent minister, with fearful eyes
bcSccchng him to go OH with his
remarks. and openly thanked God
that He had sent so capable an as
siStant into their midst. The Young
man WAS impIored to furnish the
notes or manuscript Of his sermon
for publication. Although a boy,
we distinctly remember his reply:
II never take notes and never write
ny SermonS.'
For scme days the young preacher
remained and di! effective work in
the then prolific field, and there
lives to-day in Botetourt men and
women happily converted to God
under the illustrations fthat then
devoted man.
Last wecl; We were in Washing
ton. Accompanying u party of
friends iuto the handsome drinking
establishment of George w Driver,
on Pennsylvania avenue, we were
introduced 10 a nlari of tall frame
andcommauding appearance,w whose
looks indicated that he had seen
better days. Ills hair Wis gray,
his form bent with age, onc eye was
blind, Willie his clothing and gen
eral appearance indicated hard
lines. 1be polite manncr Of the
stranger, contrasted with his geu-
cral appearance, struck us with pc
Culi;ir force. We asked his name.
lie gave it to us.
That man standing i'll lie bar
room was George n. tsyter, whose
life has been 20 varied and CHECK:
cred as to begin withtle pulpit and
end in a drinking saloon, we fear.
Requesting the party of gentle !.
men to hear us, we told the clrcum
stances that connected one OF the
auditors with the great revival in
FincaStle Of 1868. George w. Car
ter recognized the picture we drew,
and. as he gazcd upon it, his mem.
Dry recalled the dayS-tlie happy
days-when his life had not been
blurred by a sad aud eventful as
sociation with men engaged in the
femnralizing work of politics.
The eloquent preacher Of 1858
and the man before us WAS one and
the same-George w. Carter, aman
endowed by nature with those rare
gifts of genius which make men
great, or, when subverted, render
them the most. pitiable Of all men.
Mr.. Carriers remarkable talents
and abilities enable him to live BY
writing speeches on intricate sub
jects for members Of Congress, who
lacking the brain, use that possess
ed by Carter, to appear before the
country as able representatives,
we'll informed on public questions.
Fredericksburg Free Lance.